The Committee noted the collaboration between WHO and The United States Pharmacopeia in developing this monograph, received the monograph as a working document and approved the recommendations made during a WHO consultation held in Geneva in September 2001, which can be summarized as follows:

• Since the experimental validation of the methods, currently undertaken by WHO, shows that they need to be improved, further investigations should be carried out.

• Less technically demanding analytical procedures, as alternatives to high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for identification and dissolution testing now being developed by WHO, should be described.

• Close cooperation between WHO and The United States Pharmacopeia aimed at improving the monograph should be continued.